Youri Tielemans has apologised to Aston Villa after admitting he joined Manchester United because they are a bigger club than his former team. The Belgium midfielder completed a £35 million ($47 million) move to Old Trafford in July after United triggered a release clause in his Villa contract.
The 29-year-old played a key role in helping Villa end their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season. He even scored in the final victory against Freiburg. Despite these achievements, he stated, “There are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them.”
Few would deny United have a far greater global profile than Emery’s men, but Villa supporters were upset by Tielemans’ suggestion this week that their club are smaller than the 20-time English champions. The midfielder, who joined Villa from Leicester in 2023, faced significant backlash following his public assessment of the two institutions.
Tielemans took to Instagram on Thursday to address the controversy and make peace with his former club. “Never meant for my words in the press yesterday to offend anyone or the institution of Aston Villa Football Club, which I massively respect and I’m grateful for the past 3 years,” he wrote.
He added, “I must however admit my mistake and apologise for my choice of words, will be more careful in the future. Wishing the club the best in the future.” Tielemans previously described his high-profile transfer to United as the culmination of years of dedication since he first fell in love with football.
The midfielder is now expected to make his first Premier League appearance for Manchester United in their upcoming season opener against Hull on August 22. He joins a United side that finished one spot above fourth-placed Villa in the Premier League standings last season.
